ZUHAIB YOUSF MIR
Netrality has a broader horizon and is contemplatedgenerally in terms of absence of bias towards anything. Being neutral simply means that a person or agency is not giving any unnecessary favour to anyone while performing any kind of function but it must not be misunderstood in terms of indifferent attitude. Rather it is about engaging but not being partisan. It is perhaps very challenging to undersatand neutrality in isolation. Neutrality is very much dependent upon the amount of “autonomy” enjoyed by agencies(any institution , government etc). The conceptualization of autonomy has been characterized along three dimensions taking into account the autonomy of an organization is not only a managerial matter but also a relational term measured in present world by considering financial and strategic aspects.
The first sub-dimension is financial autonomy, which means the capacity to generate extra financial resources, as measure of financial resources that the agency can obtain outside the relation with parent administration. The second dimension analysed is mana- gerial autonomy, as a measure of autonomy of the agency in the utilization of financial human and organizational resources , this dimension is measured considering the autonomy of the chief executive in determining agency staff size and organizational structure in appointing managers and in deliberating on financial transactions and expenditure levels . The third dimension is strategic autonomy refers to two distinct aspects, firstly, is the influence which the agency can exercise on for- mulation of policy targets and second the autonomy with which the agency can select the instruments to imple- ment the policy.
The autonomy and neutrality are related concepts. For autonomy we imagine power or authority but when it comes to neutrality we tend to relate it to functions or responsibility or duties. Each is dependent upon and incomplete without each other . I would not be wrong to say that autonomy with- out neutrality can turn disastrous and neutrality without autonomy is tooth- less, which cannot convert anything to reality. The two interdependent concepts of autonomy and neutrality are the fundamental aspects of “good governance” and it is the strength of these two together that impoves the sate capabilities and creates conditions for relative insulations from day to day shallow political demands and enable the environment for decentralization and democratization.
The guiding framework for the PDP- BJP alliance AKA “the common mini- mum program” notwithstanding the fact is a very well articulated document and if the government works as per this framework it can certainly transform the incumbent Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to next Shiekh Abdullah of J&K state. By his own con- fession he said “he cannot be sheikh”. The rationale lies in the lack of “au- tonomy” to implement the postulates adumbrated in the common minimum program “neutraly” and pervasive trust deficit on both the sides .
The aspects of “Financial autonomy” as stated in the CMP is majorly based on the power generation and super packs by the central government . Both these seem elusive as the government haven’t started discussing seriously (symbolic statements are not enough) for exploring the modalities for trans- fer of Dulhasti and Uri hydro power projects to J&K as suggested by the Rangarajan Committee Report and the Round Table reports. Also , no substantial discussion or work has been executed to change the revenue shar- ing structure of the NHPC projects. As fas as the economic super pack is concerned, On 8th april 2015,The Minister for Education, Mr Naeem Akhtar on behalf ofthe Minster for Relief & Reha- bilitation informed the Housethat the government has recommended a
The guiding framework for the PDP-BJP alliance AKA “the common minimum program” notwithstanding the fact is a very well articulated document and if the government works as per this framework it can certainly transform the incumbent Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to next Shiekh Abdullah of J&K state. By his own confession he said “he cannot be sheikh”. The rationale lies in the lack of “autonomy” to implement the postulates adumbrated in the common minimum program “neutraly” and pervasive trust deficit on both the sides .
rehabilitation package to the Centre for flood victims who suffered loss- es to their business establishments during September, 2014 devastating floods while replying to a question by S. Dharamvir Singh Oberoi in Legisla- tive Council . Rumours and high spir- ited words came about the package but the package itself never did. So its no surprise that the “financial autonomy” is and will remain elusive because how much can the state count on tourism which just poovides for 6.95 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product. Then comes the contemplation of pitfalls of “managerial autonomy”.
In this segment there is nothing much to say because if PDP cannot control its own Members of Parliament who on a regular basis show dissent on national and local print and visual media, how can it assuage and mend the ideologi- cal dissent by the BJP. The testimony of this dissent has been witnessed by all the people in the state during the AIIMS clamor, then the beef ban row, degeneration of secular fabric in the state and many more to follow for example which city will the government recommended for the smart city, as we have to recommened only one city and both Jammu and Srinagar have attained 45 points as per the yardstick postulated by the central government . So needless to say “ managerial auton- omy” of the chief executive of the government aka CM is a lot undermined than we think it is. The “strategic autonomy” doesn’t exist .
The stragegy as per which the government would have run is the Common Minimum Program and what is common is this program is getting minimum day by day so the fu- ture seems hazy until some stern and bold measures are taken by the very top administrators of the party if at all they what to run this alliance. The common minimum program no doubt consists a greater vision for the devel- opment of Kashmir but every now and then PDP cannot be succumbing to the
The points are work out a one-time settlement for refugees from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir of 1947, 1965 & 1971 , Make the families of the victims in cross border firing qualify for benefits given under SRO 43, Construct shelters in vulnerable areas on the LoC and the International Border to prevent loss of life, Give ST status to Kollis, Chopans and Paharis. These are points that will be liked by modiji and foster some trust and neutrality that PDP government is as real a kin to Jammu as it is to Kashmir. Only the we can assuage mistrust to implement policies neutrally for the betterment of Jammu and Srinagar by the alliance partners.
coalition government stipulations”, creating an image that their coming to power was more important than exercising that power for the purpose that they were voted for. The image of the govennment is tootheless and sluggish. And failure to embark on the promises is making the people think in retrospect if at all they made the right decision. I would like to urge the government to get back to basics of agenda of alliance and the first aspect of it is to to first put together the Steering Committee (comprising of the President of PDP and BJP, and four members each from the parties for overseeing the implementation of the Common Mini- mum ProgramPDP-BJP Coalition Government in J&K) as mentioned in the agenda of alliance. Lets gauge if there is anything going on constructively in this alliance or if its an alli- ance for being in power.
Secondly, the government should start embarking on the basic social and humanitarian initiatives is written in the CMP which are non controversial and also sends a stong signal. The points are work out a one- time settlement for refugees from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir of 1947, 1965 & 1971 , Make the families of the victims in cross border firing qualify for benefits given under SRO 43, Construct shelters in vulnerable areas on the LoC and the International Border to prevent loss of life, Give ST status to Kollis, Chopans and Paharis. These are points that will be liked by modiji and foster some trust and neutrality that PDP government is as real a kin to Jammu as it is to Kashmir. Only the we can assuage mistrust to implement policies neutrally for the betterment of Jammu and Srinagar by the alliance partners.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of the Kashmir Leader.)
